


A Friend's Job

by Bookworm1063



Series: CO Countdown 2020 [22]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Carry On Countdown (Simon Snow), Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28116519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookworm1063/pseuds/Bookworm1063
Summary: Penelope and Baz meet for a study session. Penny worries about Baz's happiness.
Relationships: Penelope Bunce & Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch
Series: CO Countdown 2020 [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026988
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18
Collections: Carry On Countdown 2020





	A Friend's Job

The library is almost empty when I arrive. There are a few students scattered here and there, and there’s Bunce, sitting at the back, her nose in a book, taking notes on a sheet of paper.

I slide into the chair across from her and drop my bag at my feet.

“Baz.” She doesn’t look up.

“Bunce.” I grab my homework and pull one of her books around towards me.

“I was using that.”

“No, you weren’t.”

We sit in silence after that. I finish my Political Science essay and move on to my Magic Words homework. I’ve already started working on my eighth-year spell, even though I won’t need it for another year and a half. The homework is on Shakespearean language, and I think there might be something here I can use.

Bunce glances over to see what I’m doing and rolls her eyes. 

“If you use Romeo and Juliette, I’ll have you staked,” she says.

She makes comments like that sometimes, even though I’ve never actually confirmed anything. I don’t really mind, as long as there’s no one in earshot. I suppose it’s nice, knowing she knows and hasn’t gone running to the Mage. Or Snow.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” I say. Though maybe I will now, just to piss her off.

“What were you thinking, then?”

I shake my head. “Hamlet, maybe.”

“Alas, poor Yorick,” Bunce mutters.

“That has to be good for something,” I say.

“If you want a parade of talking skulls or something, sure,” Bunce says. She has a point.

I turn back to my homework. Bunce scribbles something down in a notebook and shoves it to the side.

“We need to talk, Baz.”

I ignore her. Whatever strange friendship we have is entirely dependent on not talking.

“It’s about Simon.”

“Fuck off, Bunce.”

“He’s miserable,” Bunce says. “You’re miserable. Look, I care about you, alright? You’re my friend—wow, I never thought I’d say that. Anyway. If you would both just stop being idiots and talk this out—”

“What?” I hiss, leaning across the table. “Talk what out? _Yeah, Snow, I know you hate me and want to kill me, and I know I’ve tried to kill you on at least three separate occasions in the past, but can we just move past that because I’m hopelessly in love with you?”_

Bunce is looking at me with big, soft doe eyes. I hate it.

“I want you to be happy, Baz,” she says. “Both of you.”

I don’t know why I ever decided to make friends with this girl. She’s a menace.

“Snow doesn’t care about me,” I say. “Let’s just finish this and go.”

I turn back to my work. Bunce sighs, but she doesn’t push it.

When we’ve finished, though, she does something she’s never done before. She jostles me with her elbow on her way to the door, and slings one arm over my shoulders, squeezing briefly.

It’s the kind of thing I’ve seen her do with Snow. Maybe Wellbelove, once or twice. The backs of my eyes burn, and I blink a little faster than I need to.

“See you next week, Baz,” she says.

“See you around, Bunce.”

She leaves the library, but I don’t. I sit and stare at the wood grain of the table, Bunce’s words playing on loop in my head.

_He’s miserable. I want you to be happy. Both of you._

What the fuck does that even mean?


End file.
